The union



(No Model.)

R. M. HUNTER.

APPARATUS FOR HOLDING AND SEWING FABRICS.

Patented Sept. 29

'FIGJ I ED UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNIONSPECIAL SEIVING MACHINE COMPANY, OF ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR HOLDING AND SEWING FABRICS;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,506, datedSeptember 29, 1891.

Application filed October 13, 1890. Serial No. 367,942. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, of the city and county ofPhiladelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement inApparatus for Holding and Sewing Fabrics, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention has reference to electric sewing-machines especiallyadapted to sewing of IO carpets; and it consists of certain improvementswhich are fully set forth in the following specification, and shown inthe accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

This application (Case177) embodies certain I 5 features wherein thesewing-machine is carried upon a traveling carriage adapted to move.upon a railway supported along the under edge of a long table or frame,upon which table or frame the carpet or fabric to be sewed is laid orstretched. The sewing-machine is operated by an electric motor, which,through the action of the feed mechanism of the said sewing-machine,causes the carriage holding the sewing-machine and motor to be bodilymoved along the railway to follow the edge of the fabric, The carriageis provided with two sets of supporting-wheels, one of which setspresses upon the upper surface of one rail and theother upon the undersurface of the second rail. A source ofelectric energy connects with thetwo rails, and through the respective wheels the current is collectedtherefrom and delivered to the electric motor through a suitableregulator.

Another improvement forming part of my present invention relatesto thearrangement of the carriage upon its wheels so thatthe entire carriagewith the motor and sewing-machine may be adj usted laterally withreference to its direction of travel, whereby the machine may be movedto or from the edge of the table and with respect to the fabric which issupported thereon. The carriage is made to move along the railway-tracksin such a manner as to exert great leverage for the purpose of pressingthe supporting-wheels in opposite directions to make positive contactwith the respective rail conductors. The entire carnage andsewing-machine may be laterally adjusted during the travel of themachine withgo outin theleast interfering with the function of thesewing-m achine while sewing the fabric.

The invention is equally adapted to all kinds of sewing where longstrips of material are to be united by their edgessuch, for in- 5 5stance, as carpets, awnings, sails, 85c.

My invention also comprehends minor details of improvement, which arefully set forth hereinafter, and shown in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a cross-section through the table and railway on line00 m, Fig. 2, and shows my improved electric sewing-machine appliedthereto. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a diagramillustrating the construc- 6; tion and arrangement of the electriccircuits; and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the carriagearranged for lateral adjustment upon its supporting-Wheels.

A is the table, which may be made in any suitable manner and issupported upon'suitable supporting legs or frames B. This table inpractice would be made-about forty feet in length, but might be madelonger, if desired. To the legs of the table are secured brackets 7 5 G,upon which are supported a V-shaped rail D, which is clamped in place bymeans of the clamps (l. Secured to the under part of the table is asecond rail I, which may be formed of a T-raii or of an angle-iron, andthis latter 8o rail may be shielded by a depending wooden stringer K toprevent accidental touching of the .said rail 1. The rail I acts as apositive conductor and has connection with one pole of the generator 0or source of electric supply, and the other rail D connects with theopposite pole of said generator or source of electric supply and acts asthe-return-conductor.

The resistance changer or regulator B may be employed in the maincircuit to control the amount of current passing to the conductors I D.

It is quite evident that the rail D might be the positive conductor andthe rail I the nega- 5 tive, if so desired.

E is the carriage and is provided with the brackets h, upon which arejournaled the two grooved wheels H, which rest upon the V- shaped railI), and also with an intermediate arm or bracket j, upon which isjournaled the grooved wheel J, running upon the rail 1. The brackets 71and j are insulated from each other and are respectively connected withthe terminals of the conductor P, which includes a resistance changer orregulator M, carried by the carriage E, and also the electric motor L.

F is the ordinary sewing-machine, preferably of the kind known as theUnion Special, which is provided with a very heavy feed mechanism, andsaid sewingunachine is operated by the electric motor through atransmitting-band N.

G is the fabric-guide, secured to the sewingmachine so that the edges ofthe fabric are guided in the proper position for passing under theneedle and in the right connection with the feed mechanism f. Theoperation of the feed mechanism upon the fabric causes the entirecarriage and its appendages to travel upon the railway. By thisconstruction of railway-tracks the conductors and tracks are locatedwhere they are out of the way of danger and form no obstruction to theoperator. The rails are preferably both arranged back of a verticalplane through the edge ofthe table.

It is often desirable that the sewin g-1nachine may be adjustedlaterally to follow any irregularity in the edges of the fabric to besewed when said fabrics are of very heavy in aterial and are supportedor stretched upon the table in such a manner that they are not readilyshifted thereon, and to accomplish this I form the brackets h and j withlong axles 7L: and 1', respectively, in Fig. 3, upon which the wheelsare journaled. The wheel J is loosely sleeved upon the axle t, and thewheels H are journaled upon a sleeve S, which slides upon the axle 7tand may be adjusted by means of a link 3, a lever T, and alocking-detent mechanism If. The lever T is fitted to the bracket h, andit is evident that bymoving said lever the carriage E may be shiftedbodily upon the wheels II and J and with it the electric motor andsewing-machine. This shifting may be performed while the machine is inoperation and is under the control of the operator, who may be walkingalong with the traveling machine.

In the construction herein set out the clothplate of the sewing-machineis on a level with the upper surface of the table, so that the fabricmay extend from the table upon the cloth-plate machine in a properposition to be acted upon by the feed mechanism.

By locating the main portion of the carriage E with the motor andsewing-machine to one side of the rails the weight thereof is brought tobear upon the respective rails with considerable leverage to positivelyexert good electrical contact with the respective rails which form theconductors. Furthermore, this arran gement enables me to locate therails back of the edge of the table and within a space bounded by avertical plane through the edge of the table.

I do not limit myself to the mere details of construction, as they maybe modified without departing from the principles of the invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus for supporting and sewing fabrics, the combination ofa table, two rails arranged upon said table below its upper surface, atraveling carriage having supporting-wheels, part running upon the upperside of one of the rails and part running upon the under side of theother of the rails, a sewingmachine secured to and moving with thecarriage, an electric motor upon the carriage to operate thesewing-machine, a source of electric energy, circuit-s connecting thesource of energy with the respective rails, and an electric circuitsecured to the carriage, including the electric motor, and having itsterminal electrically connecting, respectively, with the wheels runningupon the two railway-tracks.

2. In an apparatus for supporting and sewing fabrics, the combination ofa table, two rails arranged upon said table below its upper surface, atraveling carriage having supporting-wheels, part running upon the upperside of one of the rails and part running upon the under side of theother of the rails, a sewingmachine secured to and moving with thecarriage, an electric motor upon the carriage to operate thesewing-machine, a source of electric energy, circuits connecting thesource of energy with the respective rails, an electric circuit securedto the carriage, including the electric motor, and having its terminalelectrically connecting, respectively, with the wheels running upon thetwo railway-tracks, and shifting mechanism for moving the carriage andsewing-machine laterally upon the suppo'rtingvheels.

In an apparatus for supporting and sewing fabrics, the combination of atable, two rails arranged upon said table below its upper surface, atraveling carriage having supporting-wheels, part running upon the upperside of one of the rails and part running upon the under side of theother f the rails, a sewingmachine secured to and moving with thecarriage, an electric motor upon the carriage to operate thesewing-machine,a source of electric energy, circuits connecting thesource of energy with the respective rails, an electric circuit securedto the carriage, including the electric motor, and having its terminalelectrically connecting, respectively, with the wheels running upon thetwo railway-tracks, shifting mechanism for moving the carriage andsewing-machine laterally upon the supporting-wheels, and a lock to lockthe said carriage in its shifted position upon the said wheels.

4. In an apparatus for supporting and sew- IIO ing fabrics, thecombination of a table having a horizontal supporting-surface for thefabric, a railway arranged parallel to the edge of the table and at alower level than its supporting-surface, a traveling carriage providedwith supporting -wheels movable upon said railway and located wholly toone side of the table, a sewing-machine secured to the carriage andmovable therewith and having its cloth-plate substantially on a levelwith the surface of the table, and laterallymovable guides between thecarriage and supporting-wheels for the purpose of moving thesewing-machine laterally with respect to the supporting-wheels, wherebythe sewing-ma chine may be moved to follow the edge of the fabric beingsewed.

5. In an apparatus for supporting and sewing fabrics, the combination ofa table having a horizontal supporting-surface for the fabric, a railwayarranged parallel to the edge of the table and at a lower level than itssupporting-surface, a traveling carriage provided with supporting-wheelsmovable upon said railway and located wholly to one side of the table, asewing-machine secured to the carriage and movable therewith and havingits cloth-plate substantially on alevel with the surface of the table,adjustable mechanism for laterally adjusting the carriage and thesewing-machine upon the supporting-wheels, and a locking mechanism tolock the carriage in its adjusted position upon the wheels, whereby thesewing-machine may be caused to travel at various desired positions withrespect to the edge of the table to follow the edge of the fabric beingsewed.

6. In an apparatus for holding and sewing fabrics, the combination of atable having a horizontal surface for supporting the fabric, a railwayarranged along one side of the table and supported directly upon it, soas to form no obstruction to access to the table, a laterally projectingtraveling sewing machine support having wheels adapted to run upon therailway and move the sewing-machine parallel to the edge of the table,means to adjust said sewing-machine support laterally with respect toits wheels, and a sewingmachine secured to the laterally-adjustablesupport, whereby it may be moved to or from the edge of the table, andhaving its clothplate in substantially the same horizontal plane as thesupporting-surface of the table.

7. In an apparatus for supporting and sewing fabrics, the combination ofa table, a rail arranged immediately under the table and projectingdownward, supporting-brackets projecting laterally from the underportion of the table, arail supported by said brackets at a lowerelevation than the first-mentioned rail, a traveling carriage havingsupportingwheels, part of which are adapted to run upon one face of onerail and part upon the opposite face of the other rail, a sewing-machinesupported upon the carriage, and an electric motor upon said carriagemechanically connected to operate the sewing-machine.

S. In an apparatus for supporting and sew ing fabrics, the combinationof a table, a rail arranged immediately under the table and projectingdownward, supporting-brackets projecting laterally from the underportion of the table, a rail supported by said brackets at a lowerelevation than the first-mentioned rail, a traveling carriage havingsupportingwheels, part of which are adapted to run upon one face of onerail and part upon the opposite face of the other rail, a sewing-machinesupported upon the carriage, an electric motor upon said carriagemechanically connected to operate the sewing-machine, a source ofelectrical energy connecting with the respective rails, and aninsulating depending shield projecting downwardly from the table toshield the upper rail,

9. In an apparatus for supporting and sewing fabrics, the combination ofa table with two electric conducting or contact rails immediately belowthe upper part of the table and at adistance from the floor and locatedwithin the space bounded by a vertical plane through the edge of thetable, an electrically-propelled sewing-machine adapted to travelparallel to the edge of the table, and a supportin g-carriage for thesewing-machine, provided with electrical contacts traveling in contactwith the respective contact-rails.

10. In an apparatus for supporting and sewing fabrics, the combinationof a table with two electric conducting or contact rails arrangedimmediately below the upper part of the table and at a distance from thefloor and located within the space bounded by a vertical plane throughthe edge of the table, a depending insulating-shield to shield one ofthe rails against exposure or accidental contact, an electricallypropelled sewing machine adapted to travel parallel to the edge of thetable, and a supporting-carriage for the sewing-machine, provided withelectrical contacts traveling in contact with the respectivecontact-rails.

11. In an apparatus for supporting and sewing fabrics, the combinationof a table with two electric conducting or contact rails immediatelybelow the upper part of the table and at a distance from the floor andlocated within a space bounded by a vertical plane through the edge ofthe table, and an electric sewingmachine and carriage supported uponsaid railway and located on the opposite side of the said verticalplane.

12. In an apparatus for holding and sewing fabrics, the combination of atable having a horizontal surface upon which the fabric to be sewed isplaced, a railway arranged parallel to the table and at a lowerlevelthan its upper surface, a carriage running upon said railway and havingits body or frame laterally adj ustable upon the'wheels resting upon therails of the railway, and a sewingmaehine located Wholly to one side ofthe edge of the table and secured to the adjustable body or frame of thecarriage, whereby the sewing-machine may be propelled over the railwayadjacent to the edge of the table and adjusted laterally with respectthereto.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand.

R. M. HUNTER.

Witnesses:

ERNEST HOWARD HUNTER, A. J. DUNN.

